The present Invention relates to a method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device . More particularly, the invention relates to a technique, which is useful and efficient when applied to the process of forming conductive layers in the trenches or through holes made in an insulating film.
The memory cells of a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) are arranged at the intersections of a plurality of word lines and a plurality of bit lines, which are provided on the major surface of the, semiconductor substrate. Hence, the memory cells are arranged in rows and columns on the major surface of the semiconductor substrate. Each of the memory cells comprises a MISFET (Metal Insulator Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) and a capacitive element. The MISFET is turned on to select the memory cell. The capacitive element Is connected to the MISFET in series, for storing data.
Each MISFET for selecting one memory cell is provided in an active region of the substrate, which is surrounded by element-Isolating regions. The cell-selecting MISFET comprises a gate insulating film, a gate electrode formed integral with a word line, and a pair of semiconductor regions serving as the source and the drain, respectively. Each bit line is provided above two adjacent cell-selecting MISFETs and electrically connected to the common source or drain of the adjacent MISFETs, which are arranged along the bit line. The data-storing capacitive element is also located above the MISFETs, too, and electrically connected to the common source or drain of the MISFETs.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 7-7084 discloses a DRAM of a stacked capacitor structure, in which data-storing capacitive elements are provided above cell-selecting MISFETs. In the DRAM disclosed in the publication, the lower electrode (data-storing electrode) of each data-storing capacitive element is shaped as a hollow cylinder with a larger surface to compensate for the decrease in stored charge which inevitably results from the size reduction of the memory cell. The upper electrode (plate electrode) of the data-storing capacitive element is provided above the lower electrode.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 11-17144 discloses the technique of forming a reinforcing member made of insulating film, on the bottom of a hollow cylindrical lower electrode of the type described above. The reinforcing member increases the mechanical strength of the lower electrode thereby preventing the lower electrode from toppling in the course of manufacturing the data-storing capacitive element.
The Inventors of the present invention have been developing the technique of first forming a trench in a thick silicon oxide film deposited and located above a bit line and then forming the lower electrode (data-storing electrode) of a data-storing capacitive element in the trench.
The data-storing capacitive element is manufactured as follows. First, a thick silicon oxide film is formed above the bit line. A trench is made In the silicon oxide film by means of dry etching using a mask made of a photoresist film. Then, a polycrystalline silicon film is deposited in the trench and on the silicon oxide film. Thereafter, a coating is formed on the polycrystalline silicon film by means of SOG (Spin On Glass) or the like, thereby protecting the polycrystalline silicon film. A part of the polycrystalline silicon film, which is provided on the silicon oxide film, is removed by dry etching. The other part of the polycrystalline silicon film, which remains. In the trench, will be used as the lower electrode.
Next, the SOG film Is removed from the polycrystalline silicon film remaining In the trench. The SOG film is removed by dry etching or wet etching based upon the difference In etching rate between the silicon oxide film and the SOG film.
Then, a dielectric film, such as a tantalum oxide (Ta205) film, is deposited on the polycrystalline silicon film. A conductive film made of titanium oxide or the like is deposited on the tantalum oxide film. A data-storing capacitive element is thereby manufactured, which comprises a lower electrode made of a polycrystalline silicon film, a capacitance insulating film made of a tantalum oxide film, and an upper electrode made of a titanium oxide film.
The data-storing capacitive element described above has its lower electrode provided in a trench made in a silicon oxide film. Provided in the trench, the lower electrode would not be toppled as the conventional lower electrode that is shaped like a hollow cylinder, in the course of manufacturing the data-storing capacitive element. In view of this, the lower electrode is advantageous over the conventional one. However, the lower electrode of the data-storing capacitive element has a smaller surface than the conventional lower electrode, whose inner surface and outer surface are used as a region to effectively hold the accumulated charge. In order to hold the charge reliably, some measures must be taken to increase the surface area of the lower electrode. To Increase the surface area of the lower electrode, the trench in which the lower electrode is provided may be made deeper, and depressions and projections may be made at the surface of the lower electrode.
However, the method of manufacturing the lower electrode, wherein the selective etching of the SOG film Is achieved based upon the difference in etching rate between the silicon oxide film and the SOG film, is disadvantageous In one respect. Since the difference in etching rate between these films is not sufficiently large, the oxide silicon film outside the trench is etched to some extent when the SOG film covering the polycrystalline silicon film provided In the trench is etched. Consequently, the upper surface of the silicon oxide film lowers, in particular where depressions and projections are made at the surface of the polycrystalline silicon film and over-etching is performed to remove those parts of the SOG film which remain in the depressions and between the projections.
If the upper surface of the silicon oxide film lowers, the upper edge of the polycrystalline silicon film formed in the trench protrudes from the plane in which the trench opens. This impairs the surface smoothness of the data-storing capacitive element such that it is inevitably impaired. Further, an electric field concentrates at the upper edge of the polycrystalline silicon film, which inevitably increases the leakage current of the data-storing capacitive element.
An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for enhancing the manufacturing yield of a DRAM comprising data-storing capacitive elements, each having a lower electrode provided in a trench made in an insulating film.
Another object of the invention is to provide a technique of forming a conductive layer in a trench or a through hole made in an insulating film.
Additional objects and novel features of the invention will be obvious from the description, which follows, and the drawings accompanying the present specification.
The representative embodiments of this invention are briefly described as follows.
(1) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, according to this invention, comprises the following steps:
(a) forming a first conductive film on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, forming a first insulating film on the first conductive film, and making a trench or a through hole in the first insulating film;
(b) forming a second conductive film in the trench or the through hole and on the first insulating film, said second conductive film extending through the trench or the through hole and electrically connected to the first conductive film;
(c) covering the second conductive film with a photoresist film and applying exposure light to the photoresist film, thereby exposing to light at least that part of the photoresist film which lies outside the trench or the through hole;
(d) removing a part of the photoresist film which is exposed to light, thereby leaving the other, unexposed part of the photoresist film in the trench or the through hole; and
(e) removing the unexposed part of the second conductive film which is not covered with the photoresist film, thereby leaving the other part of the second conductive film in the trench or the through hole.
(2) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device device. described in Paragraph M. the second conductive film may be removed in part in the step (e) by means of etching using the Photoresist film as a mask.
(3) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device device, described in paragraph (1), the second conductive film May be removed in part in the step (e) by means of chemical mechanical Polishing.
(4) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device device, described in Paragraph (1), wherein the photoresist film may be removed in part in the step (d) by developing the photoresist film.
(5) The method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (1), after the step (e) has been performed, may further comprise a step (f) of removing that part of the photoresist film lying in the trench or the through hole and growing a third conductive film on the second conductive film exposed in the trench or the through hole, thereby burying the third conductive film in the trench or the through hole.
(6) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (5), the second conductive film may be made of titanium nitride or tungsten.
(7) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (5), the third conductive film may be made of tungsten or aluminum alloy.
(8) The method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (5), after the step (f) has been performed, may further comprise a step (h) of forming a fourth conductive film on the first insulating film and electrically connecting the fourth conductive film to the first conductive film via the third conductive film in the trench or the through hole.
(9) The method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (1), may further comprise the following steps (f) and (g) which are performed after the step (e):
(f) removing that part of the photoresist film which lie in the trench or the through hole, and forming a fifth conductive film in the trench or the through hole and on the first insulating film; and
(g) growing a sixth conductive film on the fifth conductive film and removing those parts of the sixth and fifth conductive films which lie outside the trench or the through hole, thereby leaving the sixth and fifth conductive film in the trench or the through hole.
(10) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (9), the second conductive film may be made of titanium nitride or tantalum nitride.
(11) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (9), the fifth and sixth conductive films may be made of copper.
(12) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (9), said parts of the sixth and fifth conductive films may be removed by means of chemical mechanical polishing.
(13) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, according to the present invention, is one designed to manufacture a semiconductor integrated circuit device that has at least one memory cell composed of a cell-selecting MISFET formed in a major surface of a semiconductor substrate and a data-storing capacitive element provided above the cell-selecting MISFET. This method comprises the steps of:
(a) forming a cell-selecting MISFET on in a major surface of a semiconductor substrate, forming a first insulating film on the cell-selecting MISFET, and forming, in a through hole made in the first insulating film, a first conductive film electrically connected to a source or drain of the cell-selecting MISFET;
(b) forming a second insulating film on the first insulating film and making a trench in the second insulating film;
(c) forming a second conductive film in the trench and on the second insulating film, said second conductive film extending through the trench and electrically connected to the first conductive film;
(d) covering the second conductive film with a photoresist film and applying exposure light to the photoresist film, thereby exposing that part of the photoresist film which lies outside the trench to light;
(e) removing that part of the photoresist film Which has been exposed to light. thereby leaving, in the trench, that part of the photoresist film which is not exposed to light;
(f) removing that part of the second conductive film which is not covered with the photoresist film, thereby leaving the other part of the second conductive film in the trench; and
(g) removing that part of the photoresist film that lies in the trench, and then forming a third insulating film in the trench and on the second insulating film and forming a third conductive film on the third insulating film, thereby forming a data-storing capacitive element composed of a first electrode, a capacitive insulating film and a second electrode which are made of the second conductive film, third insulating film and third conductive film, respectively.
(14) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, according to the invention, is one designed to manufacture a semiconductor integrated circuit device that has at least one memory cell composed of a cell-selecting MISFET formed in a major surface of a semiconductor substrate and a data-storing capacitive element provided above the cell-selecting MISFET. This method comprises the steps of:
(a) forming a cell-selecting MISFET on the major surface of the semiconductor substrate, forming a first insulating film on the cell-selecting MISFET, and forming, in a through hole made in the first insulating film, a first conductive film electrically connected to a source or drain of the cell-selecting MISFET;
(b) forming a second insulating film on the first insulating film and making a trench in the second insulating film;
(c) forming, in the trench and on the second insulating film, a second conductive film made of amorphous silicon and electrically connected to the first conductive film via the trench;
(d) covering the second conductive film with a photoresist film and applying exposure light to the photoresist film, thereby exposing that part of the photoresist film which lies outside the trench to light;
(e) removing that part of the photoresist film which has been exposed to light, thereby leaving, in the trench, that part of the photoresist film which is not exposed to light;
(f) removing that part of the second conductive film which is not covered with the photoresist film, thereby leaving the second conductive film in the trench;
(g) removing that part of the photoresist film which lies in the trench and forming depressions and projections in and on the surface of the second conductive film exposed in the trench;
(h) heat-treating the second conductive film, converting the same to a polycrystalline film; and
(i) forming a third insulating film in the trench and on the second insulating film and forming a third conductive film on the third insulating film, thereby forming a data-storing capacitive element composed of a first electrode, a capacitive insulating film and a second electrode which are made of the second conductive film, third insulating film and third conductive film, respectively.
(15) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, according to the invention, is one designed to manufacture a semiconductor integrated circuit device that has at least one memory cell composed of a cell-selecting MISFET formed in a major surface of a semiconductor substrate and a data-storing capacitive element provided above the cell-selecting MISFET. The method comprises the steps of:
(a) forming a cell-selecting MISFET on a major surface of a semiconductor substrate, forming a first insulating film on the cell-selecting MISFET, and forming, in a through hole made in the first insulating film, a first conductive film electrically connected to a source or drain of the cell-selecting MISFET;
(b) forming a second insulating film on the first insulating film and then making a trench in the second insulating film;
(c) forming, in the trench and on the second insulating film, a second conductive film made of amorphous silicon and electrically connected to the first conductive film via the trench;
(d) forming depressions and projections in and on the surface of the second conductive film;
(e) heat-treating the second conductive film, converting the same to a polycrystalline film; and
(f) covering the second conductive film with a photoresist film and applying exposure light to the photoresist film, thereby exposing that part of the photoresist film which lies outside the trench to light;
(g) removing that part of the photoresist film which has been exposed to light, thereby leaving that part of the photoresist film which lies in the trench;
(h) removing that part of the second conductive film which is not covered with the photoresist film, thereby leaving the second conductive film in the trench;
(i) removing that part of the photoresist film which lies in the trench, then forming a third insulating film in the trench and on the second insulating film and forming a third conductive film on the third insulating film, thereby forming a data-storing capacitive element composed of a first electrode, a capacitive insulating film and a second electrode which are made of the second conductive film, third insulating film and third conductive film, respectively.
(16) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (14), that part of the second conductive film which is not covered with the photoresist film may be removed by means of etching using the photoresist film as a mask.
(17) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (14), the depressions and projections may be formed in and on the second conductive film, by growing silicon grains on the surface of the second conductive film made of amorphous silicon.
(18) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (14), wherein when that part of the second conductive film which is not covered with the photoresist film is removed, an upper edge of that part of the second conductive film which lies in the trench is made to recede below a rim of the trench.
(19) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (18), the upper edge of the second conductive film may be made to recede by a distance substantially equal to a diameter of the depressions and projections formed in and on the surface of the second conductive film.
(20) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (13), the second insulating film may be a silicon oxide film.
(21) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (13), the third insulating film may be a film having a large dielectric constant or a ferroelectric film.
(22) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, according to the present invention, comprises the steps of:
(a) forming a first conductive film on a major surface of a semiconductor substrate, forming a first insulating film on the first conductive film and then making a through hole in the first insulating film;
(b) forming a photoresist film in the through hole and on the first insulating film, and then exposing to light a part of the photoresist film which lies in the through hole and a part of the part of the photoresist film which lies on a wire-forming region;
(c) removing the part of the photoresist film which has been exposed to light, thereby leaving the unexposed parts of the photoresist film which lie on a part of the first insulating film and in the through hole;
(d) etching the first insulating film by using the unexposed part of the photoresist film as a mask, thereby making a wire trench in the first insulating film;
(e) removing the unexposed part of the photoresist film and forming a second conductive film, on the first insulating film and in the wire trench and through hole, said second conductive film lying in the through hole and electrically connected to the first conductive film via the through hole; and
(f) removing the part of the second conductive film which lies on the first insulating film by means of chemical and mechanical polishing, thereby forming a buried wire made of the second conductive film in the wire trench and through hole.
(23) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (22), the second conductive film may be made of copper.
(24) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, according to the present invention, comprises the steps of:
(a) forming a first conductive film on a major surface of a semiconductor substrate, forming a first insulating film on the first conductive film and then patterning the first insulating film and first conductive film, thereby forming a gate electrode made of the first conductive film and covered with the first insulating film;
(b) forming semiconductor regions in two parts of the semiconductor substrate lie at both sides of the gate electrode;
(c) forming a second insulating film on the semiconductor substrate, covering the gate electrode formed on the semiconductor substrate and then forming a third insulating film on the second insulating film, said third insulating film having an etching rate different from that of the second insulating film;
(d) etching the third insulating film by using a first photoresist film as a mask, thereby making a first trench reaching the second insulating film provided on the semiconductor region and making a second trench reaching the second insulating film provided on the gate electrode;
(e) removing the first photoresist film and forming a second photoresist film in the first and second trenches and on the third insulating film;
(f) applying exposure light to the second photoresist film, thereby exposing to light those parts of the second photoresist film which lie in the second trench and on the third insulating film, and removing those parts of the second resist film which have been exposed to light, thereby leaving an unexposed part of the second photoresist film in the first trench;
(g) etching a part of the second insulating film and a part of the first insulating film lying beneath the second insulating film, by using the second photoresist film left in the first trench as a mask; and
(h) removing the second photoresist film and etching the second insulating film lying in the first trench and the first insulating film lying in the second trench, thereby making a first contact hole exposing the semiconductor region and a second contact hole exposing the gate electrode.
(25) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (24), the first and second insulating films may be made of silicon nitride and the third insulating film is made of silicon oxide film.
(26) The method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (24) may comprises the following steps (i) and (J) which are performed after the step (h):
(i) forming a second conductive film in the first and second contact holes and on the third insulating film; and
(j) patterning the second conductive film, thereby forming first and second wires in the first and second contact holes, which are electrically connected to the semiconductor region and the gate electrode, respectively.
(27) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, according to this invention, comprises the following steps:
(a) forming a trench in a first insulating film provided on a major surface of a semiconductor substrate and forming a silicon layer in the trench and on the first insulating film;
(b) forming a second insulating film on the silicon layer laying in the trench and removing that part of the silicon layer which lies outside the trench;
(c) removing that part of the second insulating film which lies in the trench and forming depressions and projections in and on the silicon layer; and
(d) forming a dielectric film on the silicon having the depressions and projections in and on the surface, and forming a conductive film on the dielectric film.
(28) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (27), the silicon layer may be made of amorphous silicon.
(29) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (27), the first insulating film may be made of silicon oxide and the second insulating film is made of photoresist.
(30) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated Circuit device, described in paragraph (27), the depressions and projections provided in and on the silicon layer may be ones formed by growing silicon grains on the surface of the silicon layer.
(31) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (29), the step (b) may include the following sub-steps:
(b-1) forming a photoresist film in the trench and on the first insulating film and then applying exposure light to the photoresist film, thereby applying light to that part of the photoresist film which lies outside the trench;
(b-2) removing that part of the photoresist film which has been exposed to light, thereby leaving an unexposed part of the photoresist film in the trench; and
(b-3) removing that part of the silicon layer which lies outside the trench, by means of etching using the photoresist film as a mask.
(32) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrated circuit device, described in paragraph (27), the Silicon layer having the depressions and projections in and on the surface may constitute a first electrode of a capacitive element, the dielectric film may constitute a capacitive insulating film of the capacitive element, and the Conductive film may constitute a second electrode of the capacitive element.
(33) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrate circuit, according to the present invention, comprises the following steps:
(a) making a trench in a first insulating film provided on a major surface of a semiconductor substrate and then forming a conductive layer in the trench and on the first insulating film;
(b) forming a photoresist film on the conductive layer and applying exposure light to the photoresist film, thereby exposing to light the entire surface of the photoresist film and a part of the photoresist film which lies in the trench;
(c) developing the photoresist film, thereby removing that part of the photoresist film which has been entirely exposed to light and leaving that unexposed part of the photoresist film which lies in the trench; and
(d) removing the unexposed part of the conductive layer which is not covered with the photoresist film.
(34) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrate circuit, described in paragraph (33), that part of the conductive layer may be removed by means of etching using the photoresist film as a mask.
(35) A method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrate circuit, according to the invention, comprises the following steps:
(a) forming a silicon oxide film on a major surface of a semiconductor substrate and making a trench in the silicon oxide film;
(b) forming a first conductive film in the trench and on the silicon oxide film;
(c) covering the first conductive film with a photoresist film and applying exposure light to the photoresist film, thereby exposing to light that part of the photoresist film which lies outside the trench;
(d) developing that part of the photoresist film which has been exposed to light, thereby leaving the unexposed part of the photoresist film in the trench;
(e) removing the unexposed part of the first conductive film which lies on the silicon oxide film, by means of etching using the photoresist film as a mask; and
(f) removing that part of the photoresist film which lies in the trench, thereby leaving that part of the first conductive film which lies in the trench.
(36) In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor integrate circuit, described in paragraph (35), the photoresist film may be removed in the step (f by means of ashing.